CITY VOTES 3-2 TO AMEND RIDGELINE RULES

The Poway City Council on Tuesday night, in an unusual split vote, rescinded a nearly three-decade-old resolution requiring council approval of minor development applications to build houses on hillsides and ridgelines.

The council approved the change 3-2, which stated that the stringent rules governing such development will stay in place, but that final approval will come from city planners rather than the council.

The change, suggested by Councilman John Mullin in December, is to streamline development applications and save the city and applicants time and money.

Jim Cunningham and Dave Grosch voted against the move. They said they had full confidence that planners would make good decisions, but still thought the elected council should have the final say on such construction.

The resolution was passed 27 years ago, not long after Poway incorporated. City leaders wanted to ensure the ridges and hilltops that give the city character were not spotted with large homes disrupting the view for all.

Poway is largely built out now. In the past seven years, only 19 ridgeline applications have come before the council, and all were approved with little discussion. Seven more applications are in the pipeline.

The change will save applicants hundreds of dollars in fees and save city employees many hours spent preparing reports for the council, said Bob Manis, the city’s director of development services.

In other action Tuesday night, it was announced that the council in a closed session authorized the city manager to start recruiting for a new city clerk. Linda Troyan, Poway’s city clerk since 2008, resigned last month.

And the council performed its annual ritual of honoring the first Poway citizen to be born in the new year.

Lorelei Jessilyn Hose was born to April Schiro and Najja Hose on Jan. 3. The parents were presented with a $200 Costco gift certificate.

Higginson jokingly told the couple the certificate should be used at the Poway Costco, not the one in Carmel Mountain Ranch.